Electronic cigarettes can help wean some smokers off traditional cigarettes and stop them relapsing, according to researchers at the Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, US.

The researchers conclude that tobacco control practitioners must pay increased attention to the importance of the behavioral and social components of smoking addiction.

‘By addressing these components in addition to nicotine dependence, e-cigarettes appear to help some tobacco smokers transition to a less harmful replacement tool, thereby maintaining cigarette abstinence.’

The research, entitled ‘Perceived efficacy of e-cigarettes versus nicotine replacement therapy among successful e-cigarette users: a qualitative approach’, was published as an open access article on March 5 by Addiction Science & Clinical Practice.